The Hero Within
by CreativeChaosStudios
Summary: During a training session gone wrong, Jaune must step up to protect his friends. [One-Shot][Second Year AU]


_First fluff. Not kill me in the reviews, please? Also, please message me any and all errors you encounter. I might have missed some. __\- The Author_

**The Hero Within**  
by CreativeChaosStudios

It all started well, but the sounds of their weapons attracted more Grimm than the group had been prepared for.

The two teams were scrambling now, fighting in their retreat, as they worked towards their original clearing to wait for the Bullhead to arrive. It needed to be there when they reached it, the sheer number of Beowolves was terrifying, and there would be no way they could hold them off for longer than five minutes or so.

As the group ran, Ren and Jaune lingered behind the group slightly to assist if anyone stumbled. They were the two risking their lives to make sure everyone could be helped and protected, and their team admired their bravery given the situation.

The duo leap over a downed tree trunk and continued running, covered by the barrage of shots from Ruby, Blake, Weiss, and Nora while Yang and Pyrrha lead the retreat, taking down any stray Beowolves in front of them,

As they reached the clearing, the Bullhead was just on the horizon. They would have to defend themselves for a bit, something Jaune dreaded. As the group filed out of the forest and into the clearing, Yang waved her arms to signal the Bullhead. "Hey! We're down here!"

Jaune and Ren were the last two to join the group. As Yang got the Bullhead's attention, the teams formed a loose circle to cover each other's backs as the Beowolves stampeded into the clearing, roars and growls filling the air. Ren fired the first shot and soon after the rest of the teens followed.

Jaune, however, having a classical weapon rather than one of the more technological variants, was stuck defending himself from the beasts' teeth and claws with his own strength.

He blocked a swipe that came at his side and shouted, bringing his sword down on the Beowolf's arm, slicing it clean off. Pyrrha noticed this and smiled to herself, happy that her training over the last two years was actually paying off when they needed it the most. He blocked another swipe for the injured creature and yelled once more as he decapitated the beast. Everyone noticed he fought with more confidence than he did his first year at Beacon. As the Bullhead tried to find a suitable landing among the chaos, the students fought on.

Weiss was defending herself skillfully for the most part, easily dispatching a large number of the Grimm, but her focus on the ones in front of her left her open. Jaune noticed this as a larger Beowolf approached her from behind on all fours as it snarled.

"WEISS!" He shouted as he charged towards her. His words caught her attention and she saw the beast charging her. She went to block, but found her blade still impaled on another Beowolf. Her eyes widened as the large Beowolf pounced, claws ready to sink into her flesh. She braced herself and shut her eyes tightly.

'This is it.' She thought to herself, a tear leaving her eye. 'Please make it quick…'

The blow never came. Instead, a loud clang echoed through the area, causing her to open her eyes in surprise. Before her stood Jaune Arc, the most hopeless, annoying, irritating, caring, selfless boy she had ever met, blocking the Beowolf's claws with his shield. His other hand was supporting it, the weight of the creature's blow requiring it. His sword laid by his feet as he planted himself as an immovable wall to defend the heiress.

She was about to speak, still in some disbelief at the sight before her, but it came out as a yell as she saw the creature attack with its other hand. "JAUNE!"

Jaune looked to the new movement and felt a sharp pain in his side as he gasped, finding himself being tossed to the side. He laid on the ground, coughing and gasping. He tasted blood. His hands were on his side for a moment as he felt warmth covering his fingers. Looking to his hands and fingers, he saw blood. A lot of it.

Weiss saw Jaune and the damage he had taken and cried out for him before freeing her weapon from the deceased Beowolf. She thrust it up into the chest of the massive creature and pulled it out, striking it in both legs to disable it momentarily before rushing over to Jaune. The rest of the team closed in to cover them.

"Jaune!" Weiss cried out as she placed her hands on the boy's face. He was in clear pain, his eyes watering as he held his bleeding side. He reached to her, gripping her dress tightly as he coughed. Weiss didn't mind; she blamed herself for him being like this and she held his head. "Jaune, I'm so sorry! Stay with us!…Please…Please don't die…I don't know what I'd do without you…"

She confessed right there, wanting him to hear it if this was the last chance she ever had to tell him. "I love you, Jaune…"

She was telling the truth. Even if she didn't show it their freshmen year, Weiss had grown fond of the Arc. He treated her like a princess and was a total gentleman in her presence. He never asked her twice for something if she said 'No'. He didn't treat her like she was an Heiress either, but rather…just another human being. Someone normal he could relate to. She liked that about him. And then, without hesitation, he dove into danger to save her without regard for himself, like a true knight. But clearly wasn't trying out to be all fairytales and happy endings.

"Come on, Jaune Arc…" She pleaded, tears running her cheeks. "You can't do this to me now…"

As if it was his duty to serve her, Jaune coughed again and slowly pulled himself up by her dress. She didn't mind the bloodstains, she was actually more concerned with him moving. "Jaune?"

"As…You…Wish…" He managed with a small, goofy smile, still working to get on his feet again. Was he crazy? He was dying and here the young man was getting to his feet for another round. Then, they noticed it. His wounds on his side were healing. Healing faster than any wound before.

"Jaune…?" Pyrrha asked, obvious concern in her voice. They all knew he had a lot of Aura, his heals healing themselves over time, but it was nothing like this. "Jaune, what's happening…?"

"Just…being the hero…" He replied weakly. His wound was healed, but he had still lost a lot of blood. He felt dizzy, weak in the legs and arms, and his vision was going. But he had one thing to do: Defend Weiss. He stumbled to his sword and shield before the group broke out of their daze to defend him, and he picked up the blade weakly.

"Come on, Jaune…" He said to himself. "Snow Angel's watching…Snow Angel's counting on you…"

'Plus…' He thought. 'Plus she loves you. Can't break her heart here…'

His Aura began to flare and soon erupted around him, forming into what could only be described as an angelic set of armor, complete with Aura 'wings'. He felt reinvigorated and looked to the large Beowolf before shocking everyone as he broke into a steady charge, his shield (now enlarged to twice its size by the Aura) in front of his once short sword now a divine Aura-enhanced claymore.

The Bullhead finally landed and the group hurried to it, looking back to see Jaune finally slay the beast that nearly killed him. He hurried back to his team and lead the charge with confidence, cutting down any Grimm in their path as they moved to their transport. He waited for the girls and Ren to get in before joining them, having single-handedly held the line for them to board.

After a moment of silence, the group assessed their situation and friend. Jaune's Aura armor, his newly-discovered Semblance, dissipated and the blonde fell over unconscious in the middle of the Bullhead. There was a collective gasp.

Weiss moved over him, fearing the worst, and placed her hands on his cheeks. "J-Jaune!?"

After what felt like an eternity, she heard a small sound from Jaune. He was snoring. He had fallen asleep, more than likely exhausted having used his Semblance for the first time. She sniffed and began to laugh lightly, eventually crying tears of joy with an honest, relieved laughing fit.

What a stupid, stupid, stupidly brave boy.

And when he woke up to see her, she would tell him that he was hers.


End file.
